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- Björnfot, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Cerebral arterial stiffness is linked to white matter hyperintensities and perivascular spaces in older adults : a 4D flow MRI study
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism. - : Sage Publications. - 0271-678X .- 1559-7016. ; 44:8, s. 1343-1351
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- White matter hyperintensities (WMH), perivascular spaces (PVS) and lacunes are common MRI features of small vessel disease (SVD). However, no shared underlying pathological mechanism has been identified. We investigated whether SVD burden, in terms of WMH, PVS and lacune status, was related to changes in the cerebral arterial wall by applying global cerebral pulse wave velocity (gcPWV) measurements, a newly described marker of cerebral vascular stiffness. In a population-based cohort of 190 individuals, 66–85 years old, SVD features were estimated from T1-weighted and FLAIR images while gcPWV was estimated from 4D flow MRI data. Additionally, the gcPWV’s stability to variations in field-of-view was analyzed. The gcPWV was 10.82 (3.94) m/s and displayed a significant correlation to WMH and white matter PVS volume (r = 0.29, p < 0.001; r = 0.21, p = 0.004 respectively from nonparametric tests) that persisted after adjusting for age, blood pressure variables, body mass index, ApoB/A1 ratio, smoking as well as cerebral pulsatility index, a previously suggested early marker of SVD. The gcPWV displayed satisfactory stability to field-of-view variations. Our results suggest that SVD is accompanied by changes in the cerebral arterial wall that can be captured by considering the velocity of the pulse wave transmission through the cerebral arterial network.
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| 5. |
- Broman, T, et al.
(författare)
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Molecular Detection of Persistent Francisella tularensis Subspecies holarctica in Natural Waters
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Microbiology. - : Hindawi Publishing Corporation. - 1687-918X .- 1687-9198. ; 2011, s. Article ID 851946-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tularemia, caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, where F. tularensis subspecies holarctica has long been the cause of endemic disease in parts of northern Sweden. Despite this, our understanding of the natural life-cycle of the organism is still limited. During three years, we collected surface water samples (n = 341) and sediment samples (n = 245) in two areas in Sweden with endemic tularemia. Real-time PCR screening demonstrated the presence of F. tularenis lpnA sequences in 108 (32%) and 48 (20%) of the samples, respectively. The 16S rRNA sequences from those samples all grouped to the species F. tularensis. Analysis of the FtM19InDel region of lpnA-positive samples from selected sampling points confirmed the presence of F. tularensis subspecies holarctica-specific sequences. These sequences were detected in water sampled during both outbreak and nonoutbreak years. Our results indicate that diverse F. tularensis-like organisms, including F. tularensis subsp. holarctica, persist in natural waters and sediments in the investigated areas with endemic tularemia.
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| 6. |
- Eliasson, Gabriella, et al.
(författare)
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Comorbid conditions as predictors of mortality in severe COPD - an eight-year follow-up cohort study
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Clinical Respiratory Journal. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2001-8525. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Co-morbidities are common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to explore the prevalence of several comorbid conditions in severe COPD, and to investigate and compare their associations with long-term mortality.Methods: In May 2011 to March 2012, 241 patients with COPD stage 3 or 4 were included in the study. Information was collected on sex, age, smoking history, weight and height, current pharmacological treatment, number of exacerbations the recent year and comorbid conditions. At December 31st, 2019, mortality data (all-cause and cause specific) were collected from the National Cause of Death Register. Data were analyzed using Cox-regression analysis with gender, age, previously established predictors of mortality and comorbid conditions as independent variables, and all-cause mortality and cardiac and respiratory mortality, respectively, as dependent variables.Results: Out of 241 patients, 155 (64%) were deceased at the end of the study period; 103 patients (66%) died of respiratory disease and 25 (16%) of cardiovascular disease. Impaired kidney function was the only comorbid condition independently associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR (95% CI) 3.41 (1.47-7.93) p=0.004) and respiratory mortality (HR (95%CI) 4.63 (1.61 to 13.4), p = 0.005). In addition, age >= 70, BMI <22 and lower FEV1 expressed as %predicted were significantly associated with increased all-cause and respiratory mortality.Conclusion: In addition to the risk factors high age, low BMI and poor lung function; impaired kidney function appears to be an important risk factor for mortality in the long term, which should be taken into account in the medical care of patients with severe COPD.
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- Israelsson Larsen, Hanna, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Risk factors, comorbidities, quality of life, and complications after surgery in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus : review of the INPH-CRasH study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Neurosurgical Focus. - Rolling Meadows : American Association of Neurological Surgeons. - 1092-0684. ; 49:4
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is a dementia treatable by insertion of a shunt that drains CSF. The cause of the disease is unknown, but a vascular pathway has been suggested. The INPH-CRasH (Comorbidities and Risk Factors Associated with Hydrocephalus) study was a modern epidemiological case-control study designed to prospectively assess parameters regarding comorbidities and vascular risk factors (VRFs) for INPH, quality of life (QOL), and adverse events in patients with shunted INPH. The objective of this review was to summarize the findings of the INPH-CRasH study.METHODS: VRFs, comorbidities, QOL, and adverse events were analyzed in consecutive patients with INPH who underwent shunt placement between 2008 and 2010 in 5 of 6 neurosurgical centers in Sweden. Patients (n = 176, within the age span of 60-85 years and not having dementia) were compared to population-based age- and gender-matched controls (n = 368, same inclusion criteria as for the patients with INPH). Assessed parameters were as follows: hypertension; diabetes; obesity; hyperlipidemia; psychosocial factors (stress and depression); smoking status; alcohol intake; physical activity; dietary pattern; cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, or peripheral vascular disease; epilepsy; abdominal pain; headache; and clinical parameters before and after surgery. Parameters were assessed through questionnaires, clinical examinations, measurements, ECG studies, and blood samples.RESULTS: Four VRFs were independently associated with INPH: hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and psychosocial factors. Physical inactivity and hypertension were also associated with INPH, although not independently from the other risk factors. The population attributable risk percent for a model containing all of the VRFs associated with INPH was 24%. Depression was overrepresented in patients with INPH treated with shunts compared to the controls (46% vs 13%, p < 0.001) and the main predictor for low QOL was a coexisting depression (p < 0.001). Shunting improved QOL on a long-term basis. Epilepsy, headache, and abdominal pain remained common for a mean follow-up time of 21 months in INPH patients who received shunts.CONCLUSIONS: The results of the INPH-CRasH study are consistent with a vascular pathophysiological component of INPH. In clinical care and research, a complete risk factor analysis as well as screening for depression and a measurement for QOL should probably be included in the workup of patients with INPH. The effect of targeted interventions against modifiable VRFs and antidepressant treatment in INPH patients should be evaluated. Seizures, headache, and abdominal pain should be inquired about at postoperative follow-up examinations.
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| 8. |
- Larsson, Jenny, et al.
(författare)
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Falls and Fear of Falling in Shunted Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus : The Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Comorbidity and Risk Factors Associated With Hydrocephalus Study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Neurosurgery. - : Oxford University Press. - 0148-396X .- 1524-4040. ; 89:1, s. 122-128
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Gait and balance impairment are typical symptoms of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH), implicating that falls may afflict these patients.OBJECTIVE: To investigate falls, related injuries, and associated psychological features, before and after shunt surgery for INPH and compared to the general population.METHODS: The study included 176 patients shunted for INPH and 368 age- and sex-matched controls. Falls, fear of falling (FOF), fall-related injuries (mild-severe), confidence in avoiding falls (Swedish Falls Efficacy Scale (FES(S)), quality of life (QoL; EuroQoL 5-dimension 5 level instrument), and symptoms of depression (Geriatric Depression Scale 15) were investigated. Pre- and postoperative observational times were 12 mo before surgery and 21 mo after (mean). Recurrent fallers fell ≥2 times.RESULTS: More INPH patients than controls were recurrent fallers (67% vs 11%; P < .001). They feared falling more often (FOF, mean ± standard deviation: 3.3 ± 1.1 vs 1.6 ± 0.9; P < .001) and had lower confidence in avoiding falls (FES(S) 78 ± 40 vs 126 ± 14; P < .001). After surgery, INPH patients improved in all parameters but they did not reach the levels of the controls. Among fallers there was no difference between patients and controls in the severity of injuries suffered. Low QoL and symptoms of depression were more common among recurrent fallers than one-time or nonfallers in both shunted patients and controls (P ≤ .001).CONCLUSION: Falls, FOF, and low confidence in avoiding falls are considerable problems in INPH that may be reduced by shunt surgery. We suggest that remaining risk of falling and preventative measures are routinely considered in postoperative follow-ups and rehabilitation planning.
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| 10. |
- Larsson, Jenny, 1990-
(författare)
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Population-based studies of higher-level gait disorders and hydrocephalus : focused on brain ventricular morphometry and patient outcomes following shunt surgery
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: To study gait is of great importance for the health of the aging population. Higher-level gait disorders (HLGD) are characterized by a slow, symmetrical, unsteady gait. Its cause is most often unknown. HLGD in combination with ventriculomegaly (i.e., large brain ventricles) is obligatory for the diagnosis of Idiopathic Normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH), a syndrome that is sometimes treatable with insertion of a CSF shunt. It is therefore important to investigate the prevalence of HLGD in the population and brain morphometry in individuals with HLGD. Further, self-perceived confidence in gait and balance among patients with HLGD and INPH is unknown and important to study as slow gait velocity is associated with falls, injuries, and death. CSF shunts in INPH are associated with adverse events and little is known about epilepsy after surgery or minor and moderate adverse events such as headache and abdominal pain.Objective: In the older population investigate the prevalence of HLGD, and its association to ventriculomegaly. To investigate quality of life (QoL), depressive symptoms, and balance confidence in an HLGD population. In patients shunted for INPH, assess falls, fear of falling, balance confidence and prevalence of the possible adverse events headache, epilepsy, and abdominal pain after shunt surgery. Methods: Two population-based case-controlled cohorts were studied. In the first study, the "Ventriculomegaly and gait disturbance in the senior population in the region of Västerbotten" (VESPR) study, individuals (65-84 years) were recruited through a questionnaire (n=6467 dispatched). The final population consisted of 798 cases with gait disorders and 249 controls without gait disorders, age- and sex-matched to individuals with HLGD. All had been examined by a physician and were categorized: 1. "HLGD"; 2. "neurological gait disorder"; 3. "non-neurological gait disorder" or; 4. "no gait disorder". Participants were assessed with: the Swedish modification of the Falls-Efficacy Scale (FES(S)), the Modified Gait-Efficacy Scale (mGES), the Euro Quality of Life 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ5D5L) instrument (EQ5D5L index and Euro Quality of life visual analogue scale (EQ VAS)) and the Geriatric depression scale 15 (GDS-15). Cases and controls had an MRI of the brain and ventricular size was measured. The second study, the "Comorbidities and vascular risk factors associated with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus" (INPH-CRasH) study, consisted of 176 shunted INPH patients and 368 age- and sex-matched controls. Mean age was 74 years in INPH and 73 in controls. All had a visit to a healthcare facility. Information regarding adverse events, falls and fear of falling were gathered through a questionnaire. Additional information on diagnoses and prescribed drugs were obtained from the Swedish national patient- and drug registries. Data was compared between the groups, and before- and after surgery for INPH. Results: In the VESPR study, 87 individuals were categorized as HLGD, corresponding to a prevalence of 5.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.6-7.0) in the older population. A definite cause was found in 13% (n=11) of individuals with HLGD, but ventriculomegaly was present in 63% (n=46/73, controls: 38%, n=70/184; OR 2.8 95% CI 1.6-4.9, p<0.001). HLGD had more depressive symptoms and lower quality of life (QoL), compared with individuals without gait disorder (GDS-15: 3.9±3.4 vs. 2.5±2.8, p=0.004; EQ VAS: 63±17 vs. 71±18; p<0.001; EQ5D5L index: 0.671±0.188 vs. 0.840±0.126, p<0.001). HLGD had low confidence in gait and to avoid falls compared to those without gait disorder (mGES: 60±22 vs. 74±21; p<0.001; FES(S): 93±32 vs. 111±25 p<0.001). The INPH-CRasH study revealed that patients with INPH feared falling more often (3.3±1.1) and had lower balance confidence (78±40) than controls (fear of falling: 1.6±0.9, balance confidence: 126±14; p<0.001 in both comparisons). After surgery, the proportions were reduced in INPH (p<0.001). More INPH than controls were fallers (before surgery: 67% vs. 11% OR 15.48 95% CI 9.85-24.32; after surgery: 35% vs 11% OR 4.15 95% CI 2.65-6.50, p<0.001). The proportion was reduced after surgery (p<0.001). In shunted INPH, epilepsy, antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment and headache was more common than in controls (epilepsy: 4.5% vs. 1.1% OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.3-14.6, p=0.023; AED treatment: 14.8% vs. 7.3% OR 0.5 95% CI 0.3-0.8, p=0.010; headache: 36.1% vs 11.6% OR 0.2 95% CI 0.2-0.4, p<0.001). Forty percent INPH (n=70) had abdominal pain after surgery. Conclusions: HLGD was common in the general older population and associated to ventriculomegaly. HLGD was also associated with low quality of life and depressive symptoms. Both individuals with HLGD and patients with INPH had low confidence in their balance but it was less common after surgery for INPH. However, patients shunted for INPH still had more problems with low balance confidence, falls, and fear of falling than controls. After shunt surgery for INPH, a significant portion of patients developed epilepsy, headache, and abdominal pain. The findings motivate investigations of causal relationships between HLGD and ventriculomegaly and if treatment options exist for HLGD. The observed adverse events in patients shunted for INPH should be considered in pre- and postoperative evaluations of shunt surgery, and in the development of new techniques for shunt placement. Additional interventions directed towards low balance confidence, falls and fear of falling should be considered for patients with INPH, and for individuals with HLGD.
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